DHS uses riot response as anti-ICE protests become more violent in Chicago

Anti-ICE protesters are escalating their confrontations with federal immigration authorities in Illinois, forcing officers to use riot responses to suppress what the Department of Homeland Security called “one of the most violent days.”

The department said it had to grapple with at least five dangerous incidents on Wednesday alone, including a death threat to Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino and four attempts to ram Border Patrol vehicles.

A day later, Chief Bovino was mobbed by a large group of protesters who began to box in Border Patrol agents, then attacked a government vehicle and fired mortar-style fireworks at the agents, Homeland Security said.

Chief Bovino was struck in the head by a thrown object, then he deployed what the department called “riot control measures,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

“Agents properly used their training. The use of chemical munitions was conducted in full accordance with CBP policy and was necessary to ensure the safety of both law enforcement and the public,” she said.

The department’s legal adversaries didn’t agree.

The Chicago Headline Club, a journalism group, rushed to U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis to accuse Chief Bovino of violating her restraining order placing limits on the riot control tactics federal agents can use in the Chicago area.

They filed a video with Judge Ellis showing Chief Bovino tossing a canister at a small crowd of unruly demonstrators.

CHC told Judge Ellis that there did not appear to be proper warnings, in violation of her orders.

But Ms. McLaughlin said “multiple warnings” were given and ignored.

The clashes come as President Trump tries to deploy National Guard troops to the area to protect the federal officers and agents carrying out his mass deportation plans.

Another federal judge in Chicago, April Berry, has issued a restraining order blocking the troops from being deployed, saying she didn’t see enough violence on the streets to justify the call-up.

The Supreme Court is deciding whether to let her blockade stand.

Homeland Security’s description of the events this week suggests confrontations are getting more heated as emboldened protesters accuse U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the main deportation agency, of “kidnapping” migrants.

In Thursday’s clash involving Chief Bovino, the video submitted to the judge shows demonstrators aggressively approaching a line of Border Patrol agents, screaming vulgar insults and at times bumping into the federal officers.

Agents are seen pushing people away.

Wednesday’s events, meanwhile, included one man the government identified as a member of the Latin Kings street gang who was accused of trying to ram a Border Patrol vehicle head-on. The agent’s car swerved away, but the man, a U.S. citizen, then drove his vehicle into a bystander’s car, Homeland Security said.

In another incident, three U.S. citizens are accused of tailing Border Patrol vehicles and trying to ram one of them.

And in the threat incident, authorities identified the suspect as Isabel Mata, who they say said she would “put a hit out” on Chief Bovino.

“While conducting immigration enforcement operations in Cicero and Glendale Heights, agitators stalked law enforcement, rammed vehicles, fled scenes, injured agents and caused multiple accidents across town,” Ms. McLaughlin said.

All told, she said, six U.S. citizens and three illegal immigrants were arrested in the incidents.